PATNA: Chief minister on Monday pulled up police officers for not taking action against big traders involved in illegal trade. Prohibition has been enforced in since April 5, 2016.

Speaking at a prohibition and excise department’s function, the CM bluntly asked senior police officers if police were meant for arresting only drivers and driver’s helpers of the vehicles used to smuggle liquors into Bihar. “You (police) should also tell us how many major liquor traders have been arrested so far. Why big traders are not being arrested?” asked the senior police officers attending the function, organised to mark the state government’s De-addiction Day.

The state government had earlier been observing November 26 as ‘Prohibition Day’ since 2011. But after the enforcement of total prohibition in April 2016, it decided to observe the day as ‘De-addiction Day’.

The CM asked state’s additional chief secretary Amir Subhani (who is holding the charges of home, general administration and prohibition and excise departments) to take sternest possible action against the civil or police officers found associated in any way with the illegal liquor trade.

“Being the head of home department, you are the controlling officer of all senior police officers. As the head of general administration (personnel) department, you have control over all the civil officers as well. Moreover, you are also the head of prohibition and excise department. The government officers found involved in liquor-related offences should be sacked immediately,” the CM told Subhani, who was sitting on the dais.

He also asked Subhani to impose maximum possible Sections of the IPC, Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act and other related laws on the officers found involved in liquor-related cases so that they could not come out of the prisons for years.

The CM also told Subhani that state chief secretary Deepak Kumar would help him whenever needed. Speaking at the event, the chief secretary said despite prohibition, stocks of illegal liquor were being seized at different places. “It shows leakages. More firmness is required,” he said.